Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Food Culinary Experience Play
Published on May 14, 2025

Foreword

Cooking outdoors is one of life’s simplest pleasures—made even more powerful by the benefits it brings to our physical and mental wellbeing. As the summer sun reappears and the days stretch out before us, there’s no better time to step outside, light the fire, and reconnect with the act of cooking from scratch.

Spending time in the open air while preparing food has been shown to support better mental health by reducing stress and enhancing mood. Exposure to natural sunlight helps the body synthesise vitamin D, a vital nutrient for immune health, strong bones, and hormone regulation. Cooking outdoors can also serve as a mindful practice—slowing us down, encouraging us to focus on the present moment, and shifting our attention from screens to the rhythm of the fire or grill.

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Perhaps most importantly, taking control of our food by cooking it ourselves—especially from scratch—helps us better understand what we’re eating. It gives us the freedom to make healthier choices and to prioritise quality ingredients, balance, and nourishment in every meal even if the meal is an indulgent one!

There’s also something uniquely restorative about sharing a meal outdoors with others. Whether it's friends, family, or colleagues, eating together fosters connection and strengthens relationships. These shared experiences support not only physical nourishment, but also emotional wellbeing—reminding us that food is about so much more than fuel.

We hope this guide inspires you to fire up the grill, try something new, and make the most of every sunny day. From fire-pit feasts to easy summer salads, we’ve brought together recipes and techniques to help you enjoy outdoor cooking with confidence and creativity.

Here’s to good food, good company, and hopefully a helping of sunshine. From all of us at Sodexo—enjoy the season!

Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Download the ultimate guide to summer dining - packed with BBQ techniques, outdoor cooking tips, and seasonal recipes for every sunny occasion.

Read the full article here

Some recipes from this article

On Fire Lamb Koftas

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1kg lamb mince
70g breadcrumbs
1 small red onion, finely diced or grated
50g fresh coriander, chopped (save a little for serving)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method:

You can prepare the koftas a day ahead and keep them in the fridge until ready to cook. Before you start, soak 16 bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes – this helps stop them from burning on the fire.

If you're cooking over a firepit, light it well in advance – it needs about 45 minutes to get going properly. Place a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over the hot coals and give it about 10 minutes to heat up before cooking.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly – it helps to do this with damp hands to avoid the mixture sticking. Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions, then shape each one around a soaked skewer to form sausage-shaped koftas.

Place the koftas directly onto the hot skillet. Let them brown for a few minutes, then gently turn them so they cook evenly on all sides. This should take about 15 minutes in total, or until the meat is cooked through and nicely coloured.

Serving Tip:

Serve the koftas warm on a large platter with soft flatbreads, a spoonful of baba ganoush, fresh coriander, and cherry tomatoes. They go brilliantly with tzatziki, hummus, grilled halloumi or crumbled feta. Let everyone build their own wrap at the table for a relaxed, sociable meal.

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Whipped Greek Feta & Honey Dip

Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: Overnight (optional but recommended)

Ingredients:

200g feta cheese
100g sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
50ml pouring honey
Zest of 1 lemon
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon each of dried dill, dried oregano, and dried thyme
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
20ml virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Extra honey, for drizzling

Method:

Place the feta cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, honey, lemon zest, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth and creamy, aiming for a consistency like hummus. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Transfer the whipped feta to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to meld and the dip to firm up slightly.

Serving Tip:

Before serving, drizzle with a little virgin olive oil, a swirl of honey, and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Serve with warm flatbreads, grilled vegetables, or crackers. It also makes a fantastic spread for lamb wraps or burgers.

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Fire-Pit Marinated Halloumi with Honey & Thyme

Serves: 6–8

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours marinating)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

500g halloumi cheese, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Zest and juice of ½ a lemon
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for grilling)
1 tablespoon pine nuts
30g wild rocket
2 tablespoons clear honey
Leaves from 4 thyme sprigs
Black pepper, to taste

Method:

Start by slicing the halloumi into 8 evenly sized ‘bricks’. Lightly score the tops of each piece in a criss-cross pattern – this helps the marinade soak in. In a bowl, whisk together the oregano, chilli flakes, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, and a grind of black pepper. Gently toss the halloumi in this marinade, cover, and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Light your fire pit about an hour before cooking, so it’s glowing nicely by the time you start. Place a grill pan over the firepit grill to preheat, and have a small pan ready for toasting the pine nuts.

When ready to cook, add the pine nuts to the small pan and toast for 1–2 minutes until golden. Tip them into a bowl and set aside. Drizzle a little oil over the hot grill pan and place the halloumi pieces on top, scored side facing up first. Grill for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden, then carefully flip using a spatula and cook the other side until evenly coloured and charred in places.

Serving Tip:

Arrange the grilled halloumi on a board or platter. Scatter with rocket leaves, drizzle generously with honey, and finish with the toasted pine nuts and thyme leaves. Serve with warm flatbreads and smoky baba ganoush for a simple but impressive firepit feast.

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Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Download the ultimate guide to summer dining - packed with BBQ techniques, outdoor cooking tips, and seasonal recipes for every sunny occasion.

Read the full article here

Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Foreword

Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Some recipes from this article

On Fire Lamb Koftas

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Whipped Greek Feta & Honey Dip

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Fire-Pit Marinated Halloumi with Honey & Thyme

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Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

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Other articles in this series

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The Gut Friendly Kitchen: 6 Smart Cooking habits for a Happier Gut

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Where Mind Meets Body, On Your Plate

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The Autumn Larder: Nutrition at Harvest Time

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On Fire Lamb Koftas

Whipped Greek Feta & Honey Dip

Fire-Pit Marinated Halloumi with Honey & Thyme

Fire To Fork: A Sodexo Guide To Outdoor Summer Dining

Other articles in this series

Food

The Gut Friendly Kitchen: 6 Smart Cooking habits for a Happier Gut

Food

Eat Together: Summer Recipes for Gatherings

Food

Where Mind Meets Body, On Your Plate

Food

The Autumn Larder: Nutrition at Harvest Time